MOSCOW, 21 May 2003 — Russia’s Olympic Committee (ROS) President Leonid Tygachev on Friday will announce Moscow’s bid to host the 2012 Olympics, local media reported.
Russia’s Olympic chief is expected to make an official bid to host the summer Games at a special ROC meeting.
Tygachev said he thought the Russian capital stood a strong chance to win the race since the city gained experience in hosting the 1980 Summer Games which were boycotted by the United States and its Western allies during the Cold War. “I’m optimistic about Moscow’s chances to win the right to host the 2012 Olympics,” Tyagachev told the press. “I think Moscow is one of the hot favorites of the Olympic race.”
Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov said the city has several venues including the five-star Luzhniki arena and Europe’s biggest indoor Olympic stadium. Some of the capital’s sports grounds would be also able to host events after minor renovation.
However Moscow will face tough competition from New York, Madrid, London and possibly Paris, with Mayor Bertrand Delanoe expected to announce the Parisian bid today. The Germany city of Leipzig is also in the running but, not being a capital city, is seen as an outsider. It has yet to be decided whether Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo will represent Brazil’s bid, while Toronto was understood to be waiting to see if fellow Canadian city Vancouver’s bid for the 2010 Winter Games was successful before throwing its hat in the ring. The deadline for submissions is July 15 when bidding cities have to pay the IOC $150,000.
